Geoturism Balearic Islands

Formentera is an island that does not have great abrupt reliefs, except for the Promontories of La Mola (197 m at its highest) and Cap de Barbaria (with a maximum height of 108 m). As a result, the points for observing the panoramic views of the island are scarce.

One of the best for enjoying a panoramic view of Formentera is Es Mirador. This is a small lookout point on the western side of the aforementioned Promontory of La Mola, specifically where it connects with the central part of the island (with a much lower elevation).

This difference in altitude allows an almost complete panoramic view of Formentera, Eivissa and Es Vedrà, with their principal geological and geographic features.

First, one can see the central cordon. It constitutes a narrow isthmus that only occasionally reaches a height of 25m. It is mainly made of Pleistocene fossil soils and dunes, although more recent deposits from the Holocene period can also be found.

On both sides, the central cordon is flanked by two bays, the Migjorn and Tramuntana beaches. In both cases, the coast is mainly formed by old Pleistocene beaches that sometimes contain sea mollusc fossils. Recent sand beaches are intermittently deposited on these.

Beyond this described area, the land significantly widens, giving way to the Promontory of Cap de Barbaria, which continues to the left of the panoramic view.

To the north of the Promontory of Cap de Barbaria another low-lying area re-appears: the northern cordon, the location of Estany Pudent and Estany des Peix. This cordon is not visible from the lookout point as it is hidden by the relief of the Promontory of Cap de Barbaria.

However, on clear days, it is possible to observe some of the islands that make up the intermediary archipelago and that, in the past, joined Eivissa and Formentera by an old cordon of beaches and dunes. The “Pitiüsa major” (Eivissa) is also visible.